Margaret Down Under, The Stage

It is amazing what you can do with a few lengths of rope and some old sheets.   Eastern Angles - and more specifically designer Rachel Downey - attempted to transform them into the scenery for a play largely set at sea and within the typically restrictive confines of a community hall.   The result?   A fantastic living, breathing set which was arguably the star of the show.

And that is saying something because Margaret Down Under, based on the true story of horse thief transported to Australia 200 years ago, is acted with passion throughout by a ballsy, energetic cast.

It is an engaging mix of social comment with a barrel full of bawdiness.   And the fact that Suffolk and its accent runs deep into Margaret Down Under's narrative only adds to the play's appeal.

Despite her thieving ways, Margaret, played by Karen Winchester, turns out to be the most demure and clean-living of the lot in Alastair Cording's sequel to Margaret Catchpole, toured by EA four years ago.  However, Winchester imbues our mistreated heroine with just the right level of earthiness to ensure her story remains plausible.

Her lover James Ross (John Langford) aside, the rest are a spittle-covered, hot-headed rabble - and eminently watchable for it.

Unless it stages particularly eventful youth club discos, Woodbridge Community Hall has surely never seen so many body parts fondled and profanities spat.   Neil Summerville's repulsive penal colony chief MacAllister is an evil treat, Ceri West plays snapping strumpet Lizzie with so much heart and humour - ditto Michael Strand as the flawed Lt Bewliss and Sadie McMahon as the fallen from grace Rose.

Special mention too for the commanding Martin Belville, an actor with real presence, whose character John Barry goes through the emotional and physical wringer in the second half of the play.   Belville plays a mean mandolin too.

That only leaves the sailor, played by Lewis Matthews, who will have no excuses if he doesn't qualify as a master yachtsman after two months of hoisting and winching every night.

Ben Sharratt, The Stage